Kibo Corner is a non-profit coffee shop on the campus of Rochester College that allows patrons the opportunity to support sustainable development projects in Uganda, East Africa simply by buying their morning coffee or tea.

The Shop Serves

· Ugandan coffee freshly ground daily

· A wide variety of flavored espresso drinks

· Hot chocolates and teas

Non-profit

One hundred percent of profits from Kibo Corner go directly to Kibo Group International to help communities in East Africa tackle poverty and injustice. Kibo Group focuses on creative initiatives.

Some of their development projects include:

· Digging wells for fresh drinking water

· Undertaking economic development projects

· Supporting women’s empowerment projects

Origins of Kibo Corner

Kibo Corner opened in fall of 2011, after Larry Norman, now executive director of Kibo Group, took his first trip to Jinja, Uganda, in the spring of 2011.

“Seeing what Kibo Group was doing to impact lives and how they were doing it was my inspiration to get involved with the organization,” Norman said.

Norman’s interest in Ugandan coffee made opening a coffee shop a natural decision. He heads the operation with a group of student volunteers.

Raising Awareness

In addition to raising funds, Kibo Corner has raised awareness for Kibo Group.

According to Norman, awareness of Kibo Group is just as important as the money that is made from the coffee shop because awareness is what motivates people to donate.

Convenience

Kibo Corner provides an easy way for students, who may normally not be able to afford donating time or money to help a charity, support life-changing initiatives.

Creating Change on RC’s Campus

The coffee shop has also changed Rochester College campus life. The presence of the coffee shop in the student center of Rochester College has created an environment for students to comfortably socialize.

Norman now sees a steady stream of students interacting throughout the morning. “Before we opened, there was never a lot of people in the student center,” Norman said.